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When will the NFL announce Week 18′s games?

Eagles-Giants will likely take place late Sunday afternoon in Week 18 rather than on "Sunday Night Football."

The NFL will likely announce it's Week 18 games during the second half of "Sunday Night Football." But the league could wait until Monday night to announce some games.
The NFL will likely announce it's Week 18 games during the second half of "Sunday Night Football." But the league could wait until Monday night to announce some games.Read moreJohn McCoy / AP
    by Rob Tornoe
    Published 

For the second straight season, the Eagles face the New York Giants in Week 18 to end the season, but fans with tickets at MetLife Stadium are still wondering when the game will actually be played.

The NFL has waited until the last possible moment to announce the times and TV channels for its final week of games since 2006 in an attempt to maximize viewership for the matchups with the greatest playoff implications.

The league wants the best game with stand-alone playoff implications to end up on NBC’s Sunday Night Football on Jan. 7 as the final game of the 2023 season.

The plan worked last year. The NFL had a win-and-they’re-in game on Sunday Night Football featuring Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers against the Detroit Lions, who had nothing to play for after having been eliminated from the playoffs earlier in the day by the Seattle Seahawks. Despite that, the Lions defeated the Packers at Lambeau Field in a tight game that sent Green Bay home and the Seahawks to the playoffs.

The NFL will also schedule two games with playoff implications on Saturday, Jan. 6 — at 4:30 and 8:15 p.m. Both will air on ABC and ESPN, since there is no Monday Night Football game the final week of the season. There is also no Thursday Night Football game on Amazon’s Prime Video in Week 18.

When will the NFL announce Week 18′s schedule?

Not until Sunday night at the earliest, likely during the second half of NBC’s broadcast of Sunday Night Football featuring the Packers (7-8) vs. the Minnesota Vikings (7-8). Both the Packers and Vikings are still alive in the hunt for an NFC wild-card spot, but the loser will likely be eliminated from playoff contention heading into the final week of the season.

The NFL could hold off until Monday to announce its Week 18 games, but this year there is no Monday Night Football game in Week 17 to wait for. Because Monday this year falls on Jan. 1, an important day for college football, the NFL scheduled ESPN’s game between the Lions and Dallas Cowboys for Saturday night.

Could Eagles-Giants end up on Sunday Night Football?

It’s not likely. The only scenario where that would make sense is if the Eagles entered Week 18 needing a win to take home the NFC East. Even if that ends up being the case, there will probably be better matchups.

It also doesn’t look like the Eagles will be playing on Saturday, where the NFL likes to put games with stand-alone playoff implications. Those two Saturday games could end up being Kansas City Chiefs vs. Los Angeles Chargers (if the AFC West is still up for grabs) and Denver Broncos vs. Las Vegas Raiders, if either team is still fighting for a wild-card spot.

Chances are good the Eagles will be playing the Giants at 4:25 p.m. Sunday in Week 18, probably at the same time as the Cowboys, 49ers, and Lions.

Week 18 games that could matter

While most of the Week 18 schedule will be determined by what happens this week, here are a handful of games that could matter for the playoffs in the final week:

NFC

  1. Rams (8-7) at 49ers (11-4): The 49ers could enter Week 18 needing just a win to land the NFC’s No. 1 playoff seed. The Rams have won five of their last six games, and could be playing for one of the NFC’s wild-card spots, if they don’t clinch this weekend.

  2. Cowboys (10-5) at Commanders (4-11): The Cowboys could play for both the NFC East title and the No. 1 seed in Week 18, but that would require a win Saturday against the Lions and losses by both the Eagles and 49ers.

  3. Vikings (7-8) at Lions (11-4): The Lions have already locked up the NFC North, but could play for the No. 1 seed in Week 18. The Vikings could still be alive in the hunt for a wild-card spot, but their chances appear slim

  4. Falcons (7-8) at Saints (7-8) and Buccaneers (8-7) at Panthers (2-13): The Falcons, Saints, and Buccaneers could enter Week 18 tied for first place in the NFC South and fighting for their playoff life.

AFC

  1. Bills (9-6) at Dolphins (11-4): This game could determine the winner of the AFC East and is the front-runner to land in the Sunday Night Football slot. The Dolphins could clinch the AFC East Sunday with a win against the Baltimore Ravens, but a loss paired with a Bills win against the New England Patriots would set up a scenario where the winner takes the division and the No. 2 seed in the AFC. The Bills could also still be playing for a playoff spot.

  2. Browns (11-5) at Bengals (8-7): If the Ravens lose to the Dolphins on Sunday, the Browns will enter Week 18 with a chance to win both the AFC North and the No. 1 playoff seed.

  3. Texans (8-7) at Colts (8-7) and Jaguars (8-7) at Titans (5-10): The Texans, Colts, and Jaguars could enter Week 18 tied for first place in the AFC South. Texans-Colts could end up being a play-in game for the playoffs — or for the division, if the Jaguars lose.

  4. Steelers (8-7) at Ravens (12-3): If the Ravens lose to the Dolphins on Sunday, the AFC’s No. 1 seed will be in play in Week 18, with Baltimore needing just a win to clinch the top spot. Meanwhile, the Steelers could be playing for a wild-card spot.

  5. Chiefs (9-6) at Chargers (5-10) and Broncos (7-8) at Raiders (7-8): Amazingly, the AFC West could still be up for grabs entering Week 18, and both the Broncos and Raiders could also still be playing for a wild-card spot.

Week 18 TV schedule

Saturday, Jan. 6
Sunday, Jan. 7
Matchups

  1. Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants

  2. Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals

  3. Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions

  4. Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers

  5. Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans

  6. Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts

  7. Denver Broncos at Las Vegas Raiders

  8. Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins

  9. New York Jets at New England Patriots

  10. Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints

  11. Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals

  12. Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers

  13. Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers

  14. Dallas Cowboys at Washington Commanders

  15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers

  16. Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens

NFL standings

NFC East
NFC

Clinched the playoffs: San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions

Eliminated from playoffs: Carolina Panthers, Arizona Cardinals, Washington Commanders, New York Giants

AFC

Clinched the playoffs: Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns

Eliminated from playoffs: New England Patriots, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans, Las Vegas Chargers